Improved oak-coupling



H; HOLDEN.

' Garcon-pang. v No.;63,049.- Patented Mar; '19 1867.

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HUMPHREY HOLDEN, or HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR To 111M-v SELF ANDALONZO s. BARBER, or SAME PLACE,

Letters Patent No. 63,049, dated Min-alt 19', 1867.

IMPROVED CAR-COUPLING.

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TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:

Be it known thatI, HUMPIIREY HOLDEN, of Hartford, county of Hartford,and in the State of Connecticut, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Car-Couplings; and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being hadto the accompanying drawings,- making part of this specification, in\vhich- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the ear-coupling when readyfor use.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of same.

Figure 3 is a transverse section of same. I

In all the figures the same letters of reference are employed toindicate identical parts,

A is the draw-head, formed with a recess to receive the mechanismrequired forthe automatic coupling. B is an ordinary coupling-link. C isthe coupling-pin, passing, through holes in the upper and lower part ofthe draw-head in the ordinary manner. The mouth of the draw-head D ismade converging on all sides, so as to give direction to the link as thecars approach each other. E is a block, in form a four-sided prism,placed in the recess in the draw-head, resting between four springs GG.G G, attached to the sides of the recess, and bearing on against eachof'the four sides of the block, holding it in line with. the draw-bar,and'behind and immediately opposite the mouth D of the draw-head. Behindthe block isa spiral spring, F, which presses it forward, bearingagainst the front of ,the draw-head when the pin'C is not inserted; andwhen pin C is inserted it'beurs against, the pin. A recess is sunk inthe front end of the block E to receive the end oflink'B, and the frontend of the recess is mnde'fiaring to receive the link on entering themouth D. The draw-head is made in pieces, bolted together in such amanner that they may be separated to introduce the block E and otherparts of the mechanism.

This coupling is used like the ordinary one, except that the sides ofthe reeess'in the block'support the link when the pin is inserted,holding it in line with the. draw-bar.

A projection, E, on the top of the block, resting against the base ofthe upper ring G, forms a bearing to prevent the link from incliningdownward, the block being sustained upon the lower spring. The pin inthe dran head to be connected, being drawn up, will rest upon thetop'ot' the block E'ncar the front end thereof, standing vertically inthe hole through the upper part of the draw-head. When the twodraw-heads are brought together the link will enter the recess in theblock E, and, striking against the base thereof, will push it back,disengaging the pin, which, falling by its own gravity, will passthrough the open part of the link and thehole of the lower part of thedraw-head, thus coupling the cars. The requisite longitudinal play ofthe'link is permitted by on; depth of the recess; but-the block E cannotbepu'shed back so as to injure the spiral spring F, because the'twodraw-heads will, before that, come in contact.

The advantages claimed for this form of automatic ear-coupling are itseasy adaptation, with slight alteration, to the draw-heads in suchcommon use; also that it employs the ordinary link and pin-coupling,found by long experience to be the most secure; also that it is verysimple in construction, and therefore cheap and not liable to get out oforder; and, finally, that if it should get out of order the coupling maybe used like the ordinary link-and-pin coupling. v

What I claim as my invention, and desire" to secure by Letters Patent,is- I The combination of the draw-head A with the block .13, springs Gand F, and the link B and pin C,'said parts being arranged for use substantially'as set forth.

In testimony whereofl have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subseribiugwitnesses.

' HUMPHREY HOLDEN.

Witnesses:

W. E1' GAR SIMonos, JOSEPH W. GOODRICE.

